Designers, engineers, animators, digital video editors, digital content creators and other technical professionals use the highest performance PC technology available and the most demanding computer graphics and imaging software applications. The most demanding applications typically can not run or perform adequately on conventional notebook style PC""s, a trend that is likely to continue as applications continually raise their minimum requirements. These applications usually require the maximum available processor performance, physical memory sizes 4 to 8 times those available on notebooks, disk performance 5 times that of notebooks, display resolutions of at least 1280xc3x971024, and professional 3D graphics using OpenGL which do not exist at all on today""s notebook computers. The best performance typically requires at least 10 to 20 times the energy delivered from the present battery technology. Despite the fact that computer technology is constantly evolving and improving, distinctions between the performance and capabilities of what is commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9cnotebook PCxe2x80x9d and what is commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9cworkstationxe2x80x9d remain. Tower-style chassis and CRT-based display monitors of the typical workstation typically together weigh 100 pounds or more and require high-volume packing materials. As a result, the portability of such systems is limited.
Today""s technical professionals can, and often do, work at home, away on business and outside normal business hours. Because they require access to their high performance computer and their application software, many companies are even providing duplicate home computer systems for their design engineers, analysts, and animators in order to increase overall productivity. Having duplicate systems does not address the need for high performance PC workstations while traveling, or for spontaneous use at the client""s site.
Other professionals require both a full-featured workstation and a notebook PC. The professional still performs all of his or her power-intensive, technical work on the full-featured workstation, but requires the mobility of the notebook to fulfill the minimum office automation needs of the professional working away from the office, such as email and word processing. As a result the professional must purchase two computers rather than one, and much of the heavy technical work must wait until he can return to the office. The notebook PC does not solve the portability problem for the technical professional.
Specifically, a mobile technical professional has the following needs in a workstation-class computer: Carry the design process to the client and complete the work on site; bring live computer models of the project to a prospect client for an interactive sales presentation; demonstrate high-end software products and capabilities on a sales call; continue to do complex design after working hours at home (without a duplicate workstation); use the same computer for every task in the office, at home and on the road; have a truly portable workstation, rugged enough to withstand the bumps and jolts of travel.
There have been some efforts to provide technical professionals with portable systems for field use, but all such attempts have had significant compromises on the design of keyboard and pointer technology, graphics technology, display performance, and level of integration. For example, display sizes have been limited to maximum sizes of 15xe2x80x3 using passive back-planes or standard components, and designed without regard to component shock protection. In general, these products have not been designed to meet the specific demands of the design professional. Such efforts have focused on a transportable on-the-run computer with some full-size computer features, rather than a high performance workstation without compromise while at the same time being easily transportable.
In part, the compromises in performance of prior art machines is attributable to the absence of certain enabling technology, which has become available only recently. Such technology includes large, high brightness 17xe2x80x3 and 18.1xe2x80x3 (viewable area) LCD flat-panel display technology with resolutions of 1280xc3x971024 or higher and supporting 24-bit per pixel true color images; digital video interface standards allowing high speed digital connections to such panels; and best-of-class 3D graphics technology using the above digital video interface standards suitable for use in high-end 3D applications. The advent of these building blocks, however, has not solved the problems of portability and durability. A new mechanical package, which is both portable and durable, is needed.
Moreover, as with any product, cost must be reasonable, and this is only possible using standard available workstation components. These standard components, such as the disk drive the processor module and motherboard are designed for use in the relatively immobile environment of the tower-style chassis. They are not designed to withstand the acceleration forces and vibrations which a portable system must endure. Shock management systems are needed to ensure that the portable workstation is robust and secures the safe transport of important data as well as expensive computer components. Power supplies, high performance processors and other components usually generate significant heat and require adequate ventilation. In addition, the system must be impact resistant and dust tolerant. As with all computer products, it should be easy to service, flexible for popular options, quiet, attractive, and ergonomically designed for the user.
Thus, there exists a need for a truly portable, high performance workstation computer, of reasonable cost, which will allow the technical professional to perform computer-intensive design, modeling, and presentation work without regard to location; which will withstand the environment of the field; and which will satisfy the serviceability, flexibility, and ergonomic requirements of the technical professional.
The present invention satisfies these needs by providing novel modular packaging and a shock resistant mechanical housing for a workstation computer designed to meet the specific needs of professional power users. The system meets the performance specification of high performance workstations, but with a volume of approximately 1 cubic foot and a weight of less than 35 pounds in a preferred embodiment. It is rugged enough to transport as a brief case, be carried on an airplane, and checked as ordinary luggage. The system is designed to be a full-featured performance workstation which can be set up on the desktop similar to any other workstation, but with the ability to completely pack up and travel with the user in a matter of minutes. The system requires AC power of approximately 150 watts and provides high end workstation-class display, keyboard, disk, memory, and graphics performance. It is, in fact, a full-featured workstation with the added benefit of being small and light enough to pack and carry anywhere a brief case can be taken.
In a preferred embodiment, the invention comprises the processing, storage, and input/output components of a workstation computer transported and housed in removably attachable sections. These sections include a display assembly comprising a display and a display frame having a front face and a back face, with the display mounted in the display frame; a frontal concave member having a rearward opening adapted to mate with the front face of the display frame; a rearward concave member having a frontal opening adapted to mate with the back face of said display frame, the rearward member comprising a mounting plate attached thereto proximate its opening, whereby an enclosure is formed in which the processing, storage, and input/output components are mounted. The display assembly may be interposed between the frontal concave member and the rearward concave member, forming a casing for the computer.
Further, the embodiment includes a first and second fastening means, preferably comprising spring-biased threaded pins, and gates slidably mounted to the rearward concave member. The rearward concave member has portals in its side walls which are alternatively revealed and enclosed as the gates slide from an extended position to a retracted position. The first fastening means allow for securing and releasing the first end cap to the display assembly, and also for attaching the display assembly to the slidable gates. Each gate may include a cam cut which is engaged by a pin of the first fastening means acting as a cam follower, allowing for variable placement of the display assembly. The second fastening means allows for securing and releasing the slidable gates, which move from a retracted position, in which they act as dust covers for input output devices and connectors within the rearward concave member, to an extended position, in which they act as a stand for the display. With the gates in the extended position, the input/output devices and connectors are accessible through the portals in the side walls of the rearward concave member. The mounting plate, to which the motherboard and other elements of the computer subsystem are attached, may be affixed to the rearward concave member through shock isolators. The preferred embodiment may further include conductive material located on the rearward concave member and in contact with the mounting plate to act, in conjunction with the member itself, as an EMI shield when the system is assembled. Preferably, the conductive material is resilient and tubular in shape, forming a gasket, such that it also functions as a dampener to absorb vibrations, halt any oscillations of the shock isolators described above, and thus further protect the electronic components.